


Outside View

by ImperialKatwala



Series: We're Only Young [12]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Communication, Dadza has arrived, Dream just really loves his friends, Dream's friends love him, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Fundy deserves happiness so I gave him some, He worries about Dream cheating but he isn't I promise, Just a little and not for long, Kidnapping, Let's all remember Phil was canonically called The Angel of Death, Mostly just George and Sapnap being worried, Multi, Not a lot though, Phil loves his son very much and wants to make sure his friends are gooduns, Poor Dream, Protective Dadza!!, The traumatized children make poor choices, They care a lot about Dream and it's very sweet, We love to see people talking through problems
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:14:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27928852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperialKatwala/pseuds/ImperialKatwala
Summary: After so long with an insider's perspective, let's see how other people view Dream and Techno's friendship.This will be a bunch of snippets from other people's POVs. It may not be chronological!
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Dave | Technoblade, Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/Floris | Fundy, Dave | Technoblade & Phil Watson, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit
Series: We're Only Young [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2021213
Comments: 342
Kudos: 1410





	1. Why a Ring?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fundywastaken shippers, I offer you fluff and honest communication in these trying times.
> 
> Set after Friends, Family, and Gold.

Fundy didn't consider himself a jealous person. Sure, he sometimes jumped to conclusions when maybe he shouldn't, but who didn't do that on occasion? And he always made sure he knew what was going on before accusing anyone of anything, particularly when it came to the people he cared about, like his fiancé. He had known from the second he first met Dream that he cared deeply about his friends and wasn't afraid to show it. That was, in Fundy's opinion, extraordinarily sweet and very endearing, and he did _not_ want to stop Dream from being who he was and hanging out with his friends. Absolutely not, under no circumstances, no matter who those friends were.

But. You know. Coming home after a long day to see his fiancé sitting on the couch and smiling fondly at a ring that he'd never seen before rubbed Fundy the wrong way.

"Hey, babe," Fundy greeted him, and he only felt a little bad about searching for traces of guilt on Dream's face.

Dream looked up at him and beamed, his eyes lighting up like they always did when Fundy came home. "Fundy!"

No sign that he was upset or guilty. That was promising, but Fundy wanted to be sure. He was also tired and wanted attention from his fiancé, so he flopped down onto the couch and put his head in Dream's lap. "What did you do today?"

"I went mining for a bit," Dream told him, running a hand through Fundy's hair. "Talked to Eret about logistics for the Dream SMP lands, talked to Techno, talked to George and Sapnap about the next challenge we want to do. You'll like what we came up with, I think."

Fundy frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Do you remember when you made those impossible world settings?"

"Yeah..." Fundy said slowly, hopefully, realizing with mounting glee that his fiancé _just might_ try something he'd made just because he'd been the one to make it. "You're not gonna -"

Dream nodded, grinning. "The hardest one, too."

"You are an _idiot_ and I love you. Record it."

"Love you too," Dream chuckled, giving him a kiss on the forehead. The ring, hanging from a chain around Dream's neck, tapped against Fundy's cheek.

That reminded him.

"What's this?" Fundy asked mock-casually, gently tapping the ring and watching it swing back and forth on its chain.

Dream's eyes lit up in excitement. "Techno gave it to me! He made it, look, isn't it great?"

The ring was, in fact, really well made. And Dream wasn't trying to hide it or downplay it, which meant it was probably okay, but it still made Fundy's tail twitch and left a weird, unsettled feeling in his stomach. "Yeah, it's pretty cool."

The smile faltered on Dream's face. "... Sweetberry, are you okay? Is something wrong?"

"... Why'd Techno give you a ring?"

Something Fundy had learned about Dream over the time they'd known each other: his face was incredibly expressive. They both theorized that this was because he'd always worn the mask, and therefore never had to hide his expressions. Regardless of the reason, though, it meant Fundy was able to watch as Dream went though approximately fifteen different emotions in the span of a few seconds as he realized what Fundy was implying.

"Fundy - No, it's - No, hang on," Dream stammered, his face alternately going pale and bright red. "It's not _anything_ like you're thinking, I promise, I -"

Fundy sat up, turning to sit sideways so he could look Dream in the eyes. "Dream, if you say it's not how it seems, I believe you. But I'd like a coherent explanation, please."

"Yeah, absolutely, of course, just um. Just give me a second." He laughed, a soft, flustered, nervous sound. "Sorry. I... I did _not_ think about how this would look, I'm sorry."

Fundy gently took his hand. There was no doubt in his mind at all that Dream was telling the truth. "Take as much time as you need."

After a moment, Dream took a deep, steadying breath. "Okay. So I don't know how much Techno would be okay with me telling you, which I know sounds really bad!" he said hastily. "But it's not because I want to hide things from you, it's just... kind of personal for him. I don't know how much of it he wants to be public knowledge. It's, um. A hybrid thing."

Fundy nodded. If there was one thing he understood, it was awkward conversations with friends about weird hybrid things. "I can respect that. You don't have to tell me details."

"Basically, the ring is just because rings are easy for him to make. It could have been anything." Dream started fiddling with said ring, that fond smile starting to creep back onto his face. "It's... kind of like an official sign that he cares about me, I think. He makes them for his family, too, if that makes you feel better."

"So it's a friendship bracelet."

That startled a laugh out of Dream. " _What?_ "

"A friendship bracelet," Fundy repeated, grinning. "Techno gave you what is essentially a friendship bracelet."

Dream doubled over, wheezing like his lungs were about to give out. "Oh my God he did -"

They both laughed for a moment, but then Fundy got serious again.

"Dream," he said (and Dream knew that tone of voice so he immediately turned to look at him), "I'm glad you and Technoblade are getting along so well. Really I am. It's just..."

"Just what?"

Fundy shrugged helplessly. "You two spend so much time together off by yourselves. And that's fine! You're allowed to do whatever you want with your friends, I don't want to try and control how you hang out with people. It just... doesn't always feel great. You know?"

"Fundy." Dream's voice was gentle. "Are you worried there's something going on with me and Techno?"

"... Sometimes. And I don't want to be." That was the worst part of it. He _knew_ it was stupid, he _knew_ nothing was happening, but there was still that tiny little voice in the back of his mind hissing _what if what if what if -_

"Hey." Gentle fingers ran down the length of Fundy's ears, and they automatically started lifting from where they'd flattened against Fundy's head. Dream smiled, and there was so much love in that smile that for a second Fundy could hardly breathe. "There we go, no more sad ears. It's okay to worry sometimes, that doesn't make you a bad person. I should have noticed it was making you uncomfortable. I'm sorry."

Fundy shook his head. "No, don't apologize. It's stupid, I know, I shouldn't worry."

"Is it making you upset?" Dream asked, still carefully stroking Fundy's ears.

"... A little."

"Then it isn't stupid." He said it the way he'd say netherite is better than iron, like an immutably true fact. "Is there something I can do to make it better? Like... I don't know, messaging you more often?"

Fundy paused, considering. He really didn't hear from Dream all that much throughout the day; usually, they waited to talk until the evening, when they could see each other in person. And on the occasions when Dream disappeared all day, leaving only vague theories about where he went, Fundy would start worrying. Just a little. "... Yeah, actually. That would be nice."

"Consider it done."

"Yeah?" It was that easy?

Dream smiled again. "Yeah. You're my favorite person, after all, it's not like I'm gonna say no to talking to you more often. I miss you when we don't talk for a while."

Fundy considered that for a moment. Then he basically tackled Dream with a hug, knocking them both back against the armrest of the couch.

Dream laughed, hugging him back. "Okay, I guess that means you miss me too."

"Mm-hmm."

"... Are you planning on moving anytime soon?"

"Mm-mm. Tired."

"Fair enough," Dream chuckled, starting to run a hand through Fundy's hair again. "You nap, and when you wake up we can have dinner. I cooked."

He had the _best_ fiancé. "G'night, love you."

"Love you too, Sweetberry."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canon: This is how the wedding went :)
> 
> Me: ...
> 
> Me: So anyways, they're in love -


	2. It's Been a Bit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Philza talks to his son and learns more about his friend.
> 
> Set after You Ready?.

[Ph1LzA]: _How have you been?_

[Technoblade]: _pretty good_

[Technoblade]: _we spent today getting Floof used to Dream, it was fun_

[Ph1LzA]: _For you or for him?_

[Technoblade]: _> :)_

Phil, sitting on the edge of his bed, smiled at his communicator. Techno's periodic messages had consisted of two main topics for the past several weeks: Dream and Floof. From what Phil could tell, capturing Floof had been when his son first started properly hanging out with Dream, instead of just sparring or nodding a greeting when they ran into each other. It was rare, but nice, to see him so animated about things.

[Ph1LzA]: _Of course._

[Ph1LzA]: _How is Floof, by the way?_

[Technoblade]: _Floof's doing great!_

[Technoblade]: _he's eating well and he seems really happy_

[Technoblade]: _I expanded his pen again the other day, added a cave in the wall where he can go to get away from bad weather_

That was his boy. Techno got attached to animals much faster than most people thought.

[Ph1LzA]: _You can tell me about it on a voice call, if you want? No pressure if you don't_

It had been a while since he and Techno had actually gotten to talk.

After a moment, Techno replied _sure,_ and Phil's communicator buzzed with an incoming call. He accepted it with a smile.

"Hey, Phil."

Phil had gotten very good at reading Techno's voice over the years; often, with his penchant for hiding emotion, small cues were the only way to get an idea of how he was really feeling. It took a weight off Phil's shoulders to hear that there was no tension in Techno's voice at all. He sounded relaxed and happy. "Hey, Tech. Glad to hear you're doing well."

There was some soft shuffling. "Yeah, me and Floof are just hangin' out. You should've seen Dream's reaction when I told him how to get Floof's attention, Phil, it was hilarious!"

"Out of curiosity, how do you get Floof's attention?" Phil asked, feeling that familiar impulse to _learn learn learn._

"You make ravager sounds at him."

"... You what?"

Techno responded with a very realistic ravager grumble. "Like that."

Phil couldn't help it. He tried his best to copy the noise.

Techno burst into laughter. "Yours are worse than Dream's, oh my God, Phil, that was _awful!_ "

"It isn't my fault!" Phil protested, though he was laughing as well. "Ravager sounds aren't exactly easy."

There was another rumble, this one further away and deeper.

Techno huffed quietly, and Phil heard him murmur something in that soft tone of voice he only used when there weren't any people around. It always made Phil smile when he heard it; it was a mark of trust, a sign that Techno was willing to let his guard down around him.

"Was that Floof?" Phil asked with a grin.

"Yeah. Say hi, Floof."

Floof snorted.

"Hello, Floof, I'm Phil, it's nice to meet you!"

"He says it's nice to meet you too," Techno said very seriously, "and he wants to know when we can meet up next. It's been a bit."

Phil hummed thoughtfully, standing up and starting to pace a little. "It has. You're in a war right now, though, aren't you?"

"Less a war, more a series of skirmishes and plans for an attack that haven't gone anywhere so far," Techno grumbled.

"And let me guess, you're geared to take on the entirety of the server on your own, and you're upset it's not been used?"

Techno's pout was clearly audible. "Dream's been givin' us gear too, and I have Floof now, so we're _ready_ for an all-out assault!"

Wait. Phil frowned, remembering a previous conversation. "Hold on, Dream's been giving you gear? I thought you said he was neutral."

"Technically he is. He said he was just gonna 'help from the shadows,' the nerd," Techno scoffed, but there was affection there.

"... You've been talking about Dream a lot recently," Phil noted, trying to keep his tone even and light.

"Have I?"

"Mm-hmm. Not in a bad way, he's just been coming up a lot when you tell me how you've been doing," Phil elaborated. "So it sounds like you've been hanging out quite a bit."

Techno hummed. "I guess."

Phil sat back down, a soft smile on his face. "You've told me what you do with him, but you haven't told me about _him._ All I know about Dream is what everyone knows. What's he really like?"

"... Well, what does everyone know?"

"That he's intelligent and ruthless," Phil told him, "sort of like you. And he never stops trying to be better."

Techno chuckled. "Well, that last part's true, at least. And he _is_ intelligent, he's very good at whatever he sets his mind to. Ruthless, though... I haven't seen that. Competitive, yeah, and stubborn, but... kind. Really kind."

The softness in Techno's voice took Phil by surprise. He didn't talk that way about people, aside from maybe Tommy and Wilbur (and Phil liked to think himself as well, but he would probably never know).

"He's an idiot, though," Techno continued. "Did I tell you that he had us fight the Ender dragon with no armor and iron tools?"

" _No,_ you did not tell me that." Phil didn't know whether to be impressed, horrified, or amused. He settled for an odd mixture of all three.

"He died once, I didn't die at all. It was fun."

Of course. Phil leaned a little further toward impressed. "I can imagine."

Techno was quiet for a long time. Phil recognized it as a thoughtful silence as he tried to figure out what to say. "... He broke the rules for me, Phil."

Phil frowned. "Rules? What rules?"

"The server rules. The End is off-limits, but he let me use an elytra for a little bit." Phil sucked in a breath - elytras were a big deal, particularly when the End was closed, and Dream just let him use one? - but Techno kept going before he could comment. "And he's usually so careful about the rules, you know? He told me today that he breaks rules for his other friends, too, but it feels... I don't know. Different. He does it on different servers in different circumstances."

"It sounds like he cares about you," Phil said gently.

Techno hummed in agreement. "Of course he does, I know that. And I care about him. He's... I suppose you could say we're actual friends now. We were just sort of acquaintances who liked to stab each other before."

Phil laughed quietly. "Everyone needs at least one of those."

"Maybe," Techno agreed, and there was the hint of a laugh in his voice as well.

There was a soft buzz from Techno's side of the call.

Techno was quiet for a moment, then sighed. "That was Tommy. He wants to do a thing."

"Well, I won't keep you," Phil assured him. "Have fun talking to Tommy, and message me whenever, alright?"

"... Phil, _can_ you come visit soon?" The question was soft and almost hesitant, like he was afraid of the answer.

Phil hesitated. The ever-increasing list of chores and necessary materials and unfinished projects ran through his mind, reminding him why he was here in this lonely server for one, instead of with his boys. But at the same time... "How's this. When you've properly fought your war and I reach a stopping point in my projects, I'll try and visit. If Dream's anything like you say he is, I'm sure I can convince him to whitelist me."

"You can," Techno said confidently. "I'll see you then. And I'll message you in the meantime."

"You'd better," Phil teased, and he heard a chuckle from his son before the call ended.

Maybe he would have that talk with Dream sooner rather than later, Phil mused. It wouldn't hurt to go through all the red tape beforehand so he could join the server whenever it was most convenient.

And besides, anyone who could make Techno's tone that fond, friend or otherwise, needed to get the shovel talk at some point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Protective Dadza go brr


	3. You're Clear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil and Dream have a conversation.
> 
> Set soon after the previous chapter.

Phil tugged carefully at the sleeves of his nicest coat, making sure he looked presentable. It probably wasn't necessary, but he wanted to make a good first impression anyway. It wasn't every day he went to an interview, after all, and his nerves were eased slightly by the knowledge that he didn't look like a mess.

He glanced at the clock - five minutes before the meeting, that should be plenty of time - and swapped servers.

It was an odd feeling, traveling between worlds. For a moment, you were suspended in pure void, so black you couldn't tell if your eyes were open, so quiet you could hear the blood roaring in your ears. Then the blackness dissipated like the particles of a potion, and you were standing in a new place. Phil didn't exactly hate the feeling, but he didn't exactly like it, either. It was just mildly unpleasant.

He blinked the last of the darkness away and looked around the private server he'd been invited to.

World spawn was in the middle of a field ringed by trees. It was quiet and tranquil; the only sign of civilization was a small wooden hut several yards to Phil's right. That must be the meeting spot.

Phil checked the instructions he'd been sent again. _Don't bother knocking, just come in,_ it said. So he walked over to the building and pushed the door open.

A man in a green hoodie and a smiling mask was sitting at a table, looking over a few sheets of paper. He looked up when Phil entered. "Philza."

"Dream," Phil returned evenly, closing the door behind him. "It's a pleasure to officially meet you."

"Likewise. Please, have a seat." Dream gestured to the empty chair across the table from him.

Phil sat down, folding his hands in his lap and getting his first proper look at his son's newest friend. He had seen Dream around, of course, in tournaments and the like, but he had never spoken to him.

Dream was both a larger and smaller presence than Phil was expecting. He was - thus far, anyway - polite and calm, nothing like the gleeful predator from tournaments. But the way he carried himself reminded Phil of Techno; he was a force to be reckoned with, and he knew it.

"So," Dream began, pulling a sheet of paper to the top of his small stack. "I mentioned this in my original request for an interview, but before I whitelist people I like to talk to them, make sure they'd be a good fit for the server."

Phil nodded. "And that's completely understandable. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have."

"You stay in hardcore worlds most of the time, right? Why ask to join a normal server?"

Ah. They were cutting right to the chase. Phil had been hoping to have a little more time before he had to decide how much to reveal. "... Would you like the long answer or the short answer?"

"Honestly? Both."

"The long answer is that I'm ready for something different," Phil admitted. "I love my world, and I don't think I'll be giving it up anytime soon, but I've been... Well. I've found myself in a bit of a repetitive routine. I think it's about time I tried something new, even if it means I'll be hopping back and forth between worlds."

Dream nodded. "I can understand that. And the short answer?"

"I was asked to," Phil said simply. "By someone I care deeply for. I don't think he would appreciate it if I told you exactly who it was."

Dream was quiet for a moment, head tilted slightly to one side. To anyone else, the blank stare of the mask might have been intimidating, but Phil had raised Technoblade, the master of intimidation. He kept a small, genial smile on his face, never once hinting at any nerves he might have been feeling. Dream nodded slightly, maybe in approval, then turned back to his papers. "Alright, then. Next question."

The rest of the questions proceeded normally, or at least as normally as Phil had expected. Dream asked about the builds Phil did in his hardcore world, about how he would approach living near other people, about his general approach to a new world. Phil answered each question as fully and honestly as he could. It was quite nice, for an interview; they even got into a discussion on the best tactics for fighting different mobs.

Finally, Dream handed Phil a piece of paper. "This is a full list of all the server rules. If you have any questions, let me know, but that's all I wanted to talk to you about. I'll message you in a few days with my decision."

Phil took the paper and nodded, smiling. "I do actually have a question - not about the rules, just in general, if that's alright."

"Go for it."

"I've heard that Technoblade is on your server." Phil definitely did not miss the way Dream stiffened, ever so slightly. "I've also heard that the two of you have become very good friends."

Dream leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting to something more dangerous than it had been the rest of the meeting. "Whatever you're implying -"

"I'm not implying anything," Phil interrupted, still smiling slightly, "because I don't need to. We both know that I'm right. I just have a message for you regarding him."

"... What sort of message?"

Phil folded his hands on the table in front of him. His wings spread slightly, and he smiled at Dream in the way he had smiled when he wore the moniker 'Angel of Death.' "He's more than capable of taking care of himself, as you know. But if you ever do anything to intentionally hurt or upset him, anything at all, there will be no place where you will be safe from my wrath. I will make you suffer a thousand times the pain you caused. Do I make myself clear?"

Dream stared at him for a moment. The mask was, of course, impassive, but Phil knew what fearful body language looked like. He also knew a fearful silence when he heard one.

"Do I make myself clear?" he asked again, sterner this time.

Dream nodded, slowly at first, then more vigorously. "Yeah. Yeah, you're clear, you're clear."

"Good." Phil stood, folding the paper neatly and slipping it into his pocket. "I'll be off now, then. I have a redstone contraption to attempt. Oh, and if you could not mention to Techno that I threatened you, I'd appreciate it. He tends to sulk about things like that."

"Uh-huh. Sure." Poor Dream sounded like he had no idea what just happened.

Phil chuckled. "Thanks, mate. I'll let you know if I have any questions about the rules." And then he left, swapping back to his hardcore world.

Now he just had to hope that he hadn't made _too_ awful an impression. He did want his sons' friends to like him, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROTECTIVE DADZA GO BRR


	4. He'll Be Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, people have bad days and bad reactions. Sapnap and George deal with the aftermath of a bad reaction.
> 
> Set during and after List of Annoyances.

It had been a normal day. Really normal. Honestly.

Sapnap had been a bit grumpy when he realized it was raining, of course - he preferred the weather to be warm and dry - but it wasn't too bad. At least it wasn't pouring.

He did eat a leisurely breakfast and do a full check of all his important supplies before he left his house, though, to see if the rain would stop. It didn't. But by that time, he knew Dream would be up and about, so he sent his friend a quick message.

_You whispered to Dream: hey are you busy?_

_Dream whispered to you: no, why?_

Perfect.

_You whispered to Dream: want to hang out at the community house?_

_Dream whispered to you: sure :)_

_Dream whispered to you: can I work on code while I'm there?_

_You whispered to Dream: yeah_

Dream sometimes liked to have background noise when he worked on code, especially if it was just his friends talking. Sapnap liked providing said background noise because it meant he could ramble about whatever he wanted, or hum, or think through things out loud, or whatever. It was fun.

Dream showed up a few minutes later, and that's when Sapnap got the first hint that maybe something was up with his friend. He was wearing a cloak. Usually Dream just ignored the rain, unless it got really bad. Sapnap let it slide, though; maybe Dream was just cold.

"Hey Dream!" he greeted his friend.

Dream's mask shifted ever so slightly in a way that told Sapnap he was grinning. "Hey Sapnap! How's it going?"

"Pretty good, pretty good. Haven't gotten the chance to hang out with you recently, though," Sapnap pointed out with a small pout. He'd _missed_ him!

Dream sighed. "I know, I'm sorry. I've had a lot going on."

"'S okay, I get it." And he did, he really did. Dream was an admin, and they may be in a bit of a lull right now, but there was definitely conflict happening. He was going to have a heavier workload than normal. "What's the code you need to work on?"

With a flick of his wrist, Dream pulled up his glowing green admin screen. He hummed softly as he tapped away at it, probably pulling up the code in question. "Sam said there's a small glitch and asked me to fix it."

"Cool. I'm just gonna start talking, you can respond or not, just do your thing."

Dream nodded and sat cross-legged on the floor, tapping away at the screen.

And Sapnap did his best to be good background noise. He rambled about any random thing that popped into his head, he listened when Dream needed to bounce ideas off of him, he offered what little advice he could. But he could see his friend getting more and more frustrated; his answers or questions got more irritated and clipped, and Sapnap recognized the tense energy in his shoulders and hand motions. At some point, Sapnap surreptitiously messaged George to stop by and help.

George did help, for a bit. He and Dream worked together to narrow down the problem area. They were, however, unable to find the glitch itself, and both of them grew very irritated with the stupid thing.

Finally, Dream dismissed his screen, picking up his cloak from where he'd discarded it. "I have to go. I can wrestle with this thing later."

"Where are you going?" George asked curiously as Dream put his cloak back on and pulled up the hood.

Dream sighed. "Manberg. Schlatt wants to meet about something."

Sapnap made a face, standing so he could walk Dream to the door. "I don't like Schlatt."

"Me neither." Dream's tone as he stepped out the door was one Sapnap recognized - quiet, half-amused, almost like he was telling a secret. "But you know, he _is_ in charge of Manberg, so I-"

And then Dream slipped. He yelped as he fell off the walkway and landed with a huge splash in the lake below.

Sapnap couldn't help it. He burst out laughing, leaning against the doorframe for support. George, who had followed them to the doorway to say goodbye, started laughing too. Dream was rarely ever surprised like that, so when it happened, it was often hilarious.

Dream surfaced, spluttering, and Sapnap expected him get out of the water. Make some sort of quip. Maybe laugh a little at himself. Those would all be normal Dream reactions to a situation like this.

Instead, Dream's body language - what Sapnap could see of it, anyway - screamed _tension_ and _hurt,_ and Dream looked at them for a heartbeat before disappearing in a soft flash.

Sapnap and George abruptly stopped laughing.

"Did he just..." George asked softly, trailing off in confusion and worry.

"Dream doesn't do that," Sapnap replied at the same volume. He couldn't tear his gaze away from where Dream had been. "Like. He _doesn't_ use his admin powers for no reason."

George's grip on the doorframe tightened. "So he had a reason. Did you notice anything? Did he say anything?"

Sapnap frowned, mentally running over every interaction he'd had with Dream today. "Um... the cloak was weird, I thought."

"I thought so too! I didn't know he owned one," George admitted.

"He also seemed really stressed near the end there, but maybe that was just frustration and having to go to the meeting?"

George shook his head. "Doesn't matter where it came from, does it?"

"I guess not."

They were quiet for a moment, just watching the lake and the rain. Neither of them knew what to do.

"Where do you think he went?" Sapnap asked quietly.

George shrugged helplessly. "He could be literally anywhere on the server. Somewhere safe, I hope."

"... Do you think he's upset with us?"

"For laughing?"

Sapnap nodded.

"I don't think so," George assured him. "If you'd slipped, he would have laughed at you too."

And Sapnap knew that. Really. But the image of Dream staring up at him, tense and anxious, wouldn't leave him alone.

So he threw caution to the wind and grabbed his communicator, George looking over his shoulder.

_You whispered to Dream: I'm sorry_

_You whispered to Dream: we're sorry_

_You whispered to Dream: are you okay?_

They waited, holding their breath, for several agonizing minutes.

No response.

"He'll message us when he calms down." George didn't sound very certain. "It can take him a while sometimes, especially if he's alone."

"I think this might be a bad one, though!" The worry was starting to feel suffocating, and Sapnap started pacing just for something to _do._

George let him pace. "We don't know where he went and he won't reply to messages, there's nothing we can do right now but wait."

"To _hell_ with waiting!" Sapnap hissed. "George, we should be _helping!_ "

"I know!" George snapped. His voice echoed in the empty community house for a moment as he took a deep breath. "I know. I want to help too, _so badly,_ but we _can't_ right now. We'll be there for Dream as soon as he lets us, but we have to wait."

Sapnap bit his lip and turned back to his communicator.

_You whispered to Dream: please don't be mad at us_

_You whispered to Dream: if you want us to help with anything all you have to do is ask_

_You whispered to Dream: you know that, right?_

_You whispered to Dream: I'm going to stop messaging you now but please message me back when you can_

"I hate feeling useless," Sapnap muttered, staring down at the screen.

George sighed. "Me too. Do you want to go do a project or something? Build a house?"

"I'm going to build a tree farm that I can burn down whenever I want without destroying anything."

"... That's fair. I think I have some saplings."

After wandering the woods for a few minutes, the two of them found a large clearing a good ways from anyone else and got to work. It was nice, having something else to focus on, even though Sapnap's thoughts kept drifting back to Dream. George's did too, if his extended periods of silence were anything to go by.

When they were about halfway done with the skeleton of the farm, Sapnap's communicator buzzed. He yanked it out of his pocket to see a message from his private chat channel with Dream.

[Dream]: _Dream's okay, don't panic_

[Sapnap]: _who is this?_

[Sapnap]: _where are you?_

[Dream]: _this is Technoblade_

[Dream]: _we're in a safe location_

[Dream]: _I'm not gonna tell you exactly where because it's supposed to be a secret, but it's safe, I promise_

[Dream]: _Dream's asleep right now, but I heard his communicator going off and figured I should let you know he's okay_

[Sapnap]: _thank you_

[Sapnap]: _for everything, not just letting me know, he was having a really rough day_

[Dream]: _no problem_

[Dream]: _I'll tell him to message you himself when he wakes up_

"What did he say?" George demanded from his position on top of one wall.

"Dream's asleep right now," Sapnap called up to him. "Technoblade's with him, he said they're somewhere safe."

George hopped down, frowning. "Technoblade?"

"Yeah. Dream's talked about him enough, I think he'll be okay."

"It's hard to believe the Technoblade Dream talks about and the Technoblade everyone else is familiar with are the same person," George mused, leaning over to look at the messages.

Sapnap shrugged. "People say the same thing about Dream."

"That's true."

His communicator buzzed again.

[Dream]: _hey, if you want to help Dream, you should probably head to Manberg and tell Schlatt something came up_

[Dream]: _because I'm not gonna let Dream leave until he feels better, which might be a while_

As he relayed the message to George and hurried off, Sapnap couldn't help but grin.

Yeah. Dream was in good hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We love friends who are willing to let other friends take over when necessary :)
> 
> (And no George and Sapnap's reactions aren't based on my own reaction when my out-of-state friends are upset and all I can do is text them hahaha what are you talking about)


	5. This Is Important

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy talks to Dream.
> 
> Set after Friends, Family, and Gold.

Contrary to popular belief, Tommy was actually pretty good at reading people, particularly his brothers. He could tell when something was bothering them, and he could tell when they didn't want him knowing something was bothering them. So when Techno started acting spacey and fidgety, and particularly when he started trying to _hide_ that fact, Tommy knew something was up. He couldn't figure out what it was, though, until Techno made an abnormally short trip to the Nether.

He was making a ring, Tommy realized suddenly, and it could only be for Dream. He knew they'd been hanging out a lot recently, but a _ring?_

Tommy asked Techno to his face if he was making a ring for Dream, and the soft, hesitant yes had the disorienting double effect of making him very proud of himself and giving him a weird, faint sense of betrayal and other uncomfortable things he couldn't identify.

After Techno left, Tommy went to his little room in the side of the ravine to think.

Techno could make a ring for anyone he wanted, he reasoned. He hadn't been upset when Tubbo had been given one ( _because Tubbo was family,_ something in the back of his head whispered, but he ignored it), why should he be upset now? Just because it was Dream, who had opposed Wilbur and L'manberg from the start, who had killed Tommy twice, who had given Wilbur the TNT, who had -

Tommy stopped dead.

... Who had worked with Eret to plan that betrayal in the final control room.

He recognized that other emotion now; he was _scared,_ not for himself, but for Techno. And maybe that's because he still wasn't quite over that betrayal (He woke up hyperventilating some nights, still feeling Dream's sword in his back, and hearing heels clack on brick made his hair stand on end, because Eret had worn heels that day while leading them to their deaths), but that didn't _matter,_ because he was _fine._ He just had to make sure Techno was fine too. So, without letting himself think about it too much, he pulled out his communicator.

_You whispered to Tubbo_: I need your help_

* * *

The plan was simple. Dream was due to deliver more supplies in a few days, so all they had to do was get Tubbo away from his duties in Manberg that day, which was easy. Tubbo had used the excuse of not feeling well, and Schlatt had given him the day off with a scoff and a shooing motion. Tommy felt a little bad about making Tubbo use up an excuse, particularly such a versatile one, but this was important. He had also killed two birds with one stone by asking Wilbur to go talk to Techno, keeping them both out of the way while they dealt with Dream.

"Have you got everything?" he asked Tubbo quietly, glancing at the time. Dream should be there any minute.

Tubbo nodded. "Yeah. Do you?"

"Yeah. Positions, let's go."

They split up, Tubbo climbing into a hidden little spot in the rafters, and Tommy ducking into a room next to the stairs. He had planned these spots out carefully, making sure they wouldn't be visible from the staircase (though admittedly, that had been a late-night project when he could hardly breathe for fear that someone would come attack them, but he _wasn't going to think about that_ ).

Sitting still was never Tommy's strong suit. He needed to fidget, to move, to get out energy. He forced himself to stay still, though; Techno was more important than his need to fidget.

Luckily, he didn't need to wait long. After a minute or two, there were soft footsteps on the stairs, too light and quick to be Wilbur or Techno. Dream was right on time.

There was the _thrum_ of a crossbow, a soft grunt of pain, and then the sound of a body hitting stone. Tommy waited, holding his breath, for the count of ten, then stepped out of his hiding place.

Dream was slumped on the stairs, a crossbow bolt in his arm giving off sickly grey particles of magic. His breathing was labored, and he didn't react when Tommy nudged his leg with a foot. Perfect. Tommy gave Tubbo a thumbs up, and after his friend hurried down from his perch, they worked together to drag Dream into the small room Tommy had hidden in.

"Where'd you even get a weakness arrow that strong?" Tommy stage-whispered as he tied Dream to a chair.

Tubbo grinned as he locked the door. "Oh, you know. Around. Not important."

... That wasn't exactly reassuring, but Tommy decided not to question it and just focused on Dream's arm. He pulled the bolt out as cleanly as he could (Dream cried out a little, which was the most reaction he'd given to anything so far), then poured a healing potion over the wound.

Then they waited.

It only took a minute or so for the arrow's effect to wear off; the strength of an effect was often balanced with its duration, after all. Dream's mask made it a little difficult to tell when he started being able to focus again, but eventually he groaned and started looking around.

"Hello, Dream," Tommy said coldly.

"Tommy?" Dream's voice was a little unsteady still, but it sounded like he was forcing himself to focus. "What's... Where... What happened?"

Tommy crossed his arms and glared at him. "We need to have a chat, big man."

Dream stared at him for a second. "... Tommy, did you _drug and kidnap me?_ "

"Kidnap is a strong word -"

"Oh my God you _did!_ Tommy what the _hell_ -"

Tommy unsheathed his knife and rested the point just under Dream's chin. "Just shut up for a minute, alright? I can and will stab you if you don't listen to me, because this is important."

"I have more weakness arrows too!" Tubbo piped up. "I can imagine that wasn't fun, and we can wait for it to wear off again, it didn't take that long."

Dream went completely still. For a moment, Tommy wasn't entirely sure he was still breathing.

Then Tommy saw the ring. He saw the outline of it, anyway, under Dream's hoodie, hanging around his neck like Tommy wore his. He grabbed the chain and carefully pulled the ring out, ignoring how Dream started squirming again and hissing at him to _leave that alone_ (he was protective of it, that was a good sign). "What's this?"

"A gift. Let go of it."

"Dream." Tommy tried his best to lock eyes with him, despite the mask. "I know what this is and what it means, and I need to know if _you_ know that too. What is it?"

Dream was quiet for a moment, obviously thinking. Then, softly: "It's a gift from Techno. I think it means he cares about me."

"And do you care about him?"

Dream tilted his head slightly. "Listen, I don't know what this is supposed to achieve -"

Tommy shifted the knife to press against Dream's throat. " _Answer the question._ "

"... Yes. Of course I do, he's my friend."

"Good." Tommy moved the knife away from his throat and quickly sawed through the rope holding Dream to the chair. "Just so you know, if you ever hurt him, I'll stab you."

Dream stood up as soon as he could, rubbing feeling back into his wrists. "Message received, though I don't know why you care so much."

Tommy raised an eyebrow and pulled out his own ring. "Techno's my brother, you idiot."

One of the biggest regrets of Tommy's life was that he couldn't see Dream's face at that moment. He practically _glitched,_ doing a double take so fast it looked like he'd sprained his neck. Then he just stood there, absolutely still, staring at the ring around Tommy's neck (it wasn't the prettiest piece of jewelry Tommy owned; the thickness wasn't quite consistent, and the edges weren't quite even, and there was a worn mark on it from hanging on the same chain for years, but Tommy _cherished_ that ring. He wouldn't change a single thing about it, because his big brother had made it specifically for him).

"But... But I thought Wilbur...?" Dream said weakly.

"Wilbur's my brother too," Tommy agreed, enjoying the feeling of rendering _Dream_ of all people speechless.

Dream held up a hand, paused, then moved a finger like he was connecting invisible dots. Then, in a somewhat strangled voice, he said "Oh."

Okay, that was a little disappointing. Tommy had honestly been hoping for a bit more of an extreme reaction.

"Wait. Wait, _hold on a second,_ that _jerk!_ " Dream said suddenly, switching from shocked to angry surprisingly fast.

"Who's a jerk?" Tubbo asked from his spot against the far wall.

Dream waved a hand at Tommy. "Techno said I hadn't met his brothers yet!"

Tommy couldn't help it, he burst out laughing. That was _amazing,_ he was going to hold that over Dream's head _forever!_

"Oh, we're going to have a _chat,_ " Dream huffed, walking over and unlocking the door.

Tommy got control of his breathing again long enough to say "Hey, Dream?"

Dream paused and glanced back at him.

"Just... Take care of him, yeah? He doesn't have enough people doing that."

Dream nodded, just once, and it felt like a promise. "Of course." And then he was gone.

"So he's okay?" Tubbo asked quietly.

"I think so." Tommy wouldn't get much sleep the next few nights, he knew, with his brain coming up with horrible scenarios where Dream hurt his brother (and some part of him demanded blood, demanded that he show Dream he meant business), but he pushed that knowledge aside. This was Techno's choice, after all. And Techno didn't choose people lightly.

If he couldn't trust his own perception of Dream, he could trust Techno's. And that was good enough for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tommy and Tubbo both have PTSD and you can fight me on that
> 
> Poor Dream keeps getting shovel talks from this family D:


	6. Intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hunters find a new target.
> 
> Set after List of Annoyances.

When you've only ever hunted one type of prey, switching to a different kind can be challenging. Luckily, some of the same basic principles apply, one of which is patience.

Sapnap was using that skill now, hiding behind a door, hardly daring to breathe for fear he'd be heard. He couldn't see the others, but that was another basic principle of hunting: trust your hunting partners. They were there, hidden in their own places around a spare meeting room in Eret's castle, just like him. There was no doubt in his mind about that.

Footsteps approached the room slowly, almost uncertainly; that had to be their target. It couldn't be Eret, and no one else would be here.

Patience.

Sapnap waited until the footsteps had passed him and the target had moved completely into the room before pushing forward and slamming the door shut, quickly locking it and putting the key in his inventory.

Technoblade whirled around, sword drawn, slipping into an aggressive stance.

George moved out from behind a desk, bow drawn. "I'd put that away if I were you."

Bad melted out of the shadows in a way that always unsettled people who weren't used to it. His tail was lashing behind him.

Technoblade glanced around, then slowly straightened, putting his sword back in his inventory. "Dream said to meet him here, what's goin' on?"

"We needed to have a talk," Sapnap explained, crossing his arms.

"So you tricked me into comin' here?" There was a dangerous edge to Technoblade's voice. "Does Dream even know about this?"

Sapnap held up Dream's communicator, which he had borrowed for this exact purpose. "Nope. He's taking a nap right now."

"We've got a few questions, Technoblade." Bad's tone was calm, but there was an undercurrent of iron.

Technoblade raised an expectant eyebrow, one of his ears flicking.

"You and Dream have been hanging out a lot lately," George commented. He hadn't relaxed his bowstring.

"And we want to know how serious you are about being his friend," Bad finished.

Technoblade huffed softly. "Are you askin' me what my intentions are with Dream?"

Bad's tone did not shift. "More or less."

There was silence for a moment as Technoblade's gaze landed on each of them in turn, almost lazily, but Sapnap could see the underlying tension that said he was ready to spring at any moment.

Finally, Technoblade sighed. "Look, what do you want me to say? That I'm happy he likes spendin' time with me?"

"We'd like you to tell the truth," George snapped, "whatever the truth is."

"He's cool, I guess," Technoblade said with a shrug. The flippancy in his tone dug under Sapnap's skin, and he had to bite his tongue to not say anything. "He's gone out of his way for me, I've gone out of my way for him. I guess we're officially friends now, which is nice."

Sapnap felt something in him _snap_ , and he took an aggressive step forward. "Is this a joke to you?"

"No," said Technoblade in a tone too calm to be fully genuine. None of the three hunters missed how his fingers twitched for a weapon.

" _Listen,_ " Sapnap hissed, getting in Technoblade's face as much as he could with their height difference. Technoblade's ears flattened and he growled a warning at the invasion of his personal space, but Sapnap could see his fellow hunters around him and he was _angry._ "I don't care that you're Technoblade, I don't care how good you are at fighting, I don't care that you supposedly never die. Dream is part of my family, and if you hurt him, I'm going to tear you apart as many times as I have to to make you stay down. I am _going_ to keep him safe, and if you can't take that seriously you should leave him _alone._ Got that?"

Tension settled over the room, so thick it was hard to breathe.

Sapnap stayed put, glaring at Technoblade with all the anger he had in him, refusing to break eye contact.

Finally, Technoblade nodded, and Sapnap thought he saw a hint of respect in his eyes. "Understood."

Sapnap nodded back, relaxing slightly, stepping back to his original spot by the door.

"I don't plan to hurt Dream." Technoblade's tone shifted to something slightly more hesitant, slightly more vulnerable. "He's... He's important to me. I'll protect him as much as he'll let me."

George snorted quietly, finally relaxing his bowstring and lowering the arrow. "He hates letting people take care of him."

The ghost of a smile crossed Technoblade's face. "Oh, trust me, I'm well aware. That's why I usually don't ask first."

"That's our preferred method as well," Bad agreed.

Sapnap nodded. "If he's ever being particularly stupid, just let us know. We've had a lot of experience forcing him to care about his own well-being."

"So I take it this means I passed? I'm clear to be his friend?" Technoblade asked, and the flippancy was back, but underneath it he sounded almost hesitant again.

Bad thought for a moment, then nodded. "I think so. Unless either of you have any objections?"

"Dream's an adult, he can do what he wants," George said with a shrug. "So long as Technoblade understands how things work here, I'm fine with it."

Sapnap took another moment to consider the hybrid in front of him. His tells were different than Dream's, but Sapnap was used to reading body language, and he could just barely make out the tension and anxiety in his shoulders and hands; he _wanted_ to pass the test. Sapnap nodded decisively. "I trust Dream's judgement."

That tiny amount of tension Sapnap could make out melted away. "Cool. Can I leave now? I had some things I wanted to do today."

Sapnap glanced at Bad, who nodded, then unlocked the door and pulled it open.

Technoblade swept out, pausing in the doorway and glancing back. "By the way, if you ever want to talk in the future, just ask. You don't have to go to all this trouble."

"We're used to dealing with Dream," George reminded him.

"Fair," Technoblade chuckled. "Just keep it in mind, alright?"

"Will do," Sapnap promised.

And then Technoblade was gone, disappearing down the hall with a swish of his cape.

Bad hummed happily, stretching. "I think that went well."

"I yelled at Technoblade," Sapnap whispered, the full realization of who _exactly_ he'd threatened like that slamming into him like a rock to the face. "Oh my God I yelled at Technoblade and I'm not dead."

George put his bow back in his inventory, smirking. "I'm guessing that means he likes you."

"You think?"

"Did you hear him growling when you got that close? I think if he didn't like you you'd be missing some limbs," George pointed out.

They talked for a few more minutes, calming down from the intimidation mindset, then scattered to complete their own tasks for the day. Sapnap left feeling a little more settled than he had before.

After all, it was always good to have another person in your best friend's court.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably the last shovel talk I'm going to add, at least for a while! The boys have been threatened enough :)


	7. I Know It Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream asks Phil to come help him.
> 
> Set during It's Hot.

[Dream]: _Philza_

[Dream]: _Philza_

[Dream]: _something's wrong with Techno he just collapsed what do I do_

[Dream]: _Philza_

Phil stared at his communicator as Dream's panicked messages came in one after another, dread curling in his stomach and his feathers rustling in agitation. He didn't bother reading past the third message and just opened a voice call.

"Oh thank God you responded." Dream's voice was small and terrified.

Phil found himself slipping into his usual role when one of his boys was in trouble: he needed to be calm and in control. "What's happening?"

"I was talking to Techno outside Pogtopia and he looked awful and then he just collapsed -"

"Breathe, Dream," Phil reminded him gently. "Awful how?"

Dream took a deep breath, then said "He's sweating a lot and kind of shaking, he said he had a headache, and he's really warm."

"Sounds like a fever," Phil hummed, running through the list of things he'd done last time Techno got sick. "Is he responding to you, or is he unconscious?"

"Let me check." There was a rustle of movement, then Dream said quietly "Hey, Tech?"

Phil caught a soft groan from the other end of the call.

"He's responding? Kind of?" Dream reported uncertainly.

Phil nodded to himself. That was a good sign. "Okay, get him inside somewhere, I'll be there soon."

"Fih?" It was quiet, and Phil almost didn't hear it, but it made his heart melt regardless. He didn't hear that nickname often anymore.

"Who's Fih?" Dream asked.

Phil chuckled. "Me. It's what he used to call me when he was younger. Get him somewhere comfortable, I'm going to hang up and swap servers."

"Alright."

As he ended the call, Phil took a moment to be irritated that he couldn't bring items across servers; he had a lot of things here that could be useful. Just a moment, though. He didn't have a lot of time to waste.

He'd been whitelisted shortly after his interview with Dream, but he hadn't been on the server yet, so he didn't really know what to expect. He certainly wasn't expecting a large box full of trees.

His communicator began to buzz.

_Ph1LzA joined the server._

[TommyInnit]: _PHILZA_

[WilburSoot]: _Phil_ _?_

[ItsFundy]: _????????_

[Dream]: _I've temporarily whitelisted Phil to help me with something_

Dream privately messaged Phil a set of coordinates, as well as instructions for leaving spawn and finding Techno's hidden base. Of course he made his base hard to find.

Phil quickly made his way to the small lake where Techno's base was hidden and down into the small room beneath it. It only took him a few minutes. His heart broke a little when he saw how his son had been living - bare stone walls, barely enough space for everything.

Techno was laying on a bed in the corner, curled slightly in on himself, brow furrowed in pain. Dream had been right, he looked awful.

Dream himself was rummaging through what looked like Techno's potion chest, and he sagged in relief when he saw Phil splash down. "Phil."

Phil nodded to him, flashing him a quick, grateful smile, then hurried over to sit on the edge of the bed. He automatically began running a hand through Techno's hair, ignoring the sweat. "Hey, mate."

"'S hot, Fih." Techno's voice was hoarse, and it sounded like talking hurt. His eyes were glassy as he blinked slowly up at Phil.

"I know it is, I know," Phil said gently, fighting back the urge to coo at him. "That's why I'm here."

Dream took a hesitant step forward and handed Phil a shirt made of lightweight fabric. "Found this in a chest, it's probably better than what he's got on. What do you need me to do?"

"I need a bucket of cool water, some wool, and some ice," Phil instructed quietly. "Don't put the ice in the bucket, ice water won't help."

Dream nodded and hurried into the bubble elevator on one wall.

"Okay, Tech, let's get you into something lighter, alright?" Phil said gently, turning back to his son.

Techno was, as expected, absolutely no help as Phil carefully got him out of one shirt - he had been wearing his usual outfit, surely he'd realized something was wrong this morning? All three of Phil's sons had evidently inherited some of his stubbornness - and into the one Dream had found. Phil also took Techno's hair out of the falling-apart bun it had been put up in.

"Fih," Techno whined, and he sounded so much like he had when he was younger. "M' head hurts."

Phil gently carded his fingers through Techno's hair again. "I'll bet it does. Let's see what you've got for potions down here, hm?"

Techno snorted softly, hanging onto Phil's sleeve in a clear gesture of _don't leave._

"Mate," Phil sighed, biting back a laugh. "I can't stay here and also get you things for your fever."

A small huff was Techno's only reply. He obviously didn't agree, though that was probably the fever talking. Phil hadn't seen him sick very often, but he had been clingy every time it happened.

There was a splash from the corner, and Dream hurried over to hand Phil the things he'd asked for.

"Thanks, mate. Can you start brewing some regen potions, if he doesn't already have some? The stronger the better," Phil instructed, getting a strip of wool wet and draping it over Techno's forehead.

Techno sighed happily, obviously enjoying the coolness.

"Does that feel a little better?" Phil asked.

He got a small snort in response. A _yes_ in Piglin, if he remembered correctly. Techno must be even more out of it than he'd thought, if human language was too difficult.

Dream looked up from Techno's potion setup to hand Phil a regen II potion. "Here."

"Thanks, mate. Help me prop his head up."

Techno made a soft squealing sound, a _no._

Phil chirped gently back at him, running a hand through his hair again. "Sorry, Tech, but you've got to drink this."

He stubbornly said _no_ again.

Dream's mask tilted up to look at Phil, Phil sighed and rolled his eyes fondly, and they helped Techno sit up enough to drink the potion anyway. When it was gone, Techno shuddered and made a face.

Phil laughed. "I know, I know. Want some water?"

A soft snort; another _yes._

It was a good excuse to keep Techno hydrated. Phil let him drink a whole bottle of water, then had Dream help ease him back down.

"Go tell Wilbur and Tommy what's going on," he told Dream quietly. He recognized that anxious energy, the urge to be moving and helpful. "Keep them busy, though, don't let them down here yet. He needs to sleep."

Dream nodded and left again.

Phil gently draped a wing over Techno like a blanket; it was comforting, both for him and for his sons, so he often did it when they were hurt or sick. He hadn't done it for Techno in a while, but he saw some of the tension drain from his son's face as he recognized the brush of feathers.

"Go to sleep," Phil murmured, going back to carding his fingers through Techno's hair. "You'll feel better when you wake up."

Techno glanced up at him with fever-bright eyes, and the raw, unguarded trust in his gaze was enough to take Phil's breath away. Then his eyes closed again and his breathing evened out as he fell asleep.

Later, Phil would visit Wilbur and Tommy, and his heart would ache for them as they showed him the ravine they had been driven to. He would scold Techno gently when he woke up, reminding him not to ignore discomfort, to take care of himself. He would stay long enough to make sure Techno was feeling better before heading back to his own world.

But that would all come later. For now, Phil sat there and hummed softly, ready to stay with his son and help him for as long as he was needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phil is a good dad :)


End file.
